New American Standard Bible

Exodus 8

Frogs over the Land

1[a]Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Let My people go, that they may serve Me.2 But if you refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite your whole territory with frogs.3 The Nile will swarm with frogs, which will come up and go into your house and into your bedroom and on your bed, and into the houses of your servants and on your people, and into your ovens and into your kneading bowls.4 So the frogs will come up on you and your people and all your servants.”’”5 [b]Then the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your staff over the rivers, over the [c]streams and over the pools, and make frogs come up on the land of Egypt.’”6 So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the [d]frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt.7 The [e]magicians did [f]the same with their secret arts, [g]making frogs come up on the land of Egypt.

8 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said, “Entreat the Lord that He remove the frogs from me and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to the Lord.”9 Moses said to Pharaoh, “[h]The honor is yours to tell me: when shall I entreat for you and your servants and your people, that the frogs be [i]destroyed from you and your houses, that they may be left only in the Nile?”

10 Then he said, “Tomorrow.” So he said, “May it be according to your word, that you may know that there is no one like the Lord our God.11 The frogs will depart from you and your houses and your servants and your people; they will be left only in the Nile.”12 Then Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried to the Lord concerning the frogs which He had [j]inflicted upon Pharaoh.13 The Lord did according to the word of Moses, and the frogs died out of the houses, the courts, and the fields.14 So they piled them in heaps, and the land [k]became foul.15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he [l]hardened his heart and did not listen to them, as the Lord had said.

The Plague of Insects

16 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, that it may become [m]gnats through all the land of Egypt.’”17 They did so; and Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff, and struck the dust of the earth, and there were [n]gnats on man and beast. All the dust of the earth became [o]gnats through all the land of Egypt.18 The [p]magicians tried with their secret arts to bring forth [q]gnats, but they could not; so there were [r]gnats on man and beast.19 Then the [s]magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was [t]hardened, and he did not listen to them, as the Lord had said.

20 Now the Lord said to Moses, “Rise early in the morning and present yourself before Pharaoh, [u]as he comes out to the water, and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Let My people go, that they may serve Me.21 For if you do not let My people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you and on your servants and on your people and into your houses; and the houses of the Egyptians will be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground on which they dwell.22 But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where My people are [v]living, so that no swarms of flies will be there, in order that you may know that [w]I, the Lord, am in the midst of the land.23 I will [x]put a division between My people and your people. Tomorrow this sign will occur.”’”24 Then the Lord did so. And there came [y]great swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh and the houses of his servants and the land was laid waste because of the swarms of flies in all the land of Egypt.

25 Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God within the land.”26 But Moses said, “It is not right to do so, for we will sacrifice to the Lord our God [z]what is an abomination to the Egyptians. If we sacrifice [aa]what is an abomination to the Egyptians before their eyes, will they not then stone us?27 We must go a three days’ journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the Lord our God as He [ab]commands us.”28 Pharaoh said, “I will let you go, that you may sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness; only you shall not go very far away. Make supplication for me.”29 Then Moses said, “Behold, I am going out from you, and I shall make supplication to the Lord that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people tomorrow; only do not let Pharaoh deal deceitfully again in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the Lord.”

30 So Moses went out from Pharaoh and made supplication to the Lord.31 The Lord did [ac]as Moses asked, and removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants and from his people; not one remained.32 But Pharaoh [ad]hardened his heart this time also, and he did not let the people go.

New International Version

Exodus 8

8 1 [a]Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me.2 If you refuse to let them go, I will send a plague of frogs on your whole country.3 The Nile will teem with frogs. They will come up into your palace and your bedroom and onto your bed, into the houses of your officials and on your people, and into your ovens and kneading troughs.4 The frogs will come up on you and your people and all your officials.’”

5 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your staff over the streams and canals and ponds, and make frogs come up on the land of Egypt.’”

6 So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land.7 But the magicians did the same things by their secret arts; they also made frogs come up on the land of Egypt.

8 Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Pray to the Lord to take the frogs away from me and my people, and I will let your people go to offer sacrifices to the Lord.”

9 Moses said to Pharaoh, “I leave to you the honor of setting the time for me to pray for you and your officials and your people that you and your houses may be rid of the frogs, except for those that remain in the Nile.”

10 “Tomorrow,” Pharaoh said.

Moses replied, “It will be as you say, so that you may know there is no one like the Lord our God.11 The frogs will leave you and your houses, your officials and your people; they will remain only in the Nile.”

12 After Moses and Aaron left Pharaoh, Moses cried out to the Lord about the frogs he had brought on Pharaoh.13 And the Lord did what Moses asked. The frogs died in the houses, in the courtyards and in the fields.14 They were piled into heaps, and the land reeked of them.15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said.

The Plague of Gnats

16 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the ground,’ and throughout the land of Egypt the dust will become gnats.”17 They did this, and when Aaron stretched out his hand with the staff and struck the dust of the ground, gnats came on people and animals. All the dust throughout the land of Egypt became gnats.18 But when the magicians tried to produce gnats by their secret arts, they could not.

Since the gnats were on people and animals everywhere,19 the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was hard and he would not listen, just as the Lord had said.

The Plague of Flies

20 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning and confront Pharaoh as he goes to the river and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me.21 If you do not let my people go, I will send swarms of flies on you and your officials, on your people and into your houses. The houses of the Egyptians will be full of flies; even the ground will be covered with them.

22 “‘But on that day I will deal differently with the land of Goshen, where my people live; no swarms of flies will be there, so that you will know that I, the Lord, am in this land.23 I will make a distinction[b] between my people and your people. This sign will occur tomorrow.’”

24 And the Lord did this. Dense swarms of flies poured into Pharaoh’s palace and into the houses of his officials; throughout Egypt the land was ruined by the flies.

25 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God here in the land.”

26 But Moses said, “That would not be right. The sacrifices we offer the Lord our God would be detestable to the Egyptians. And if we offer sacrifices that are detestable in their eyes, will they not stone us?27 We must take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God, as he commands us.”

28 Pharaoh said, “I will let you go to offer sacrifices to the Lord your God in the wilderness, but you must not go very far. Now pray for me.”

29 Moses answered, “As soon as I leave you, I will pray to the Lord, and tomorrow the flies will leave Pharaoh and his officials and his people. Only let Pharaoh be sure that he does not act deceitfully again by not letting the people go to offer sacrifices to the Lord.”

30 Then Moses left Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord,31 and the Lord did what Moses asked. The flies left Pharaoh and his officials and his people; not a fly remained.32 But this time also Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let the people go.